LOGINI glanced back at the living room, relieved to find it mercifully free of scattered documents and files. âUhmâyeah⊠sure, come in,â I stuttered. I wasnât even sure what I was saying anymore. All I knew was that I wanted him to stay. He handed me the bouquet of rosesâmy favorite. Of course they were. âThank you,â I murmured, my fingers brushing his as I took them. âHowâve you been?â he asked softly. âGood. Iâve been good.â A lie. A fragile one. âYouâve been ignoring my calls.â âI wasnât ignoring them, IâI was justâŠâ My voice faded as the excuse dissolved before it could even form. âElizabeth,â he whispered, stepping closer. âIâve been a mess without you. I miss you. I need you.â His hot breath skimmed my skin, sending a shiver straight through me, my stomach fluttering traitorously. I pressed my palm lightly against his chest, trying to push him back, trying to remember my pride. âCharles, if thatâs all you came to say, then I think you should leave.â Instead, he pulled me
I hurried upstairs to Richardâs room, straight to the exact spot where Iâd seen the mirror. I pushed it. It gave a faint, protesting groan. The mirror resisted me, heavier than it looked, as though it had been guarding its secret for years. My arms strained as I pushed harder, my heart thudding violently in my chest. I had to know what was behind it. Finally, it shifted. Sweat beaded on my forehead as the mirror slid aside, revealing what Richard had so carefully hidden. A safe. Cold. Steel-gray. Built straight into the wall like it had grown there. Its surface was smooth, unmarked, almost arrogant in its silence. No scratches. No dust. Just a small keypad glowing faintly, as though it were aliveâwaiting. Iâd never seen this safe while I was married to him. That bastard had always been as secretive as a sealed tomb. Several buttons lined the front, neat and precise. A password was required. That was a problem. âWhat could this bastard have used for the password
The next morningâ âHow long are we going to stay in that school?â Jessica asked, angling her phone just right as she snapped yet another selfie. Her stylist hovered close, blending foundation with practiced precision. âWeâll be there for just two hours, maâam. You know this event is practically a tradition for you,â her manager replied patiently. Jessica yanked her face away, irritation flashing across her features. âTwo hours?â she scoffed. âYou know I canât put up an act for more than one.â Every year, without fail, Jessica maintained a carefully curated traditionâvisiting schools and orphanage homes, donating essentials, smiling for the cameras. It wasnât compassion that drove her; it was optics. Charity, to her, was simply another role she played convincingly. âListen, Jessica,â her manager lowered his voice. âThe Peopleâs Choice Awards are coming up. With all these donations, you could easily win the publicâs heart. Humanitarian of the Year isnât far-fetched.â Jessi
Chapter 41: Aurora âTake this shit to the trashâburn it all!â Richard barked at Maria. âYes, sir,â she replied instantly, scrambling toward the roses, her hands shaking as she gathered them. He turned sharply. âListen carefully, Maria. You saw nothing tonight. You heard nothing. Understood?â âY-yes, sir,â she stuttered, clutching the flowers as she hurried back into the kitchen. Jessicaâs voice trembled. âWhat do we do now, Richard?â Fear clung to her face, etched into every tight line and darting glance. Richard dragged his hands through his hair, pacing like a caged animal. His breathing was heavy, ragged with fury and confusion. âSomeone is playing games with us. I know it,â he growled. âAnd I swear, the day I find out who it is, Iâll cut off their head and feed whatâs left to the dogs.â Jessica laughed softlyâhollow, unhinged. âNow you see? You finally see that Iâm not crazy. Iâve been saying this all along.â Richard clenched his fists until his knuckles whitened, the
Chapter 40 : She's back We finally arrived at the movies after a few minutes of painfully awkward silence in the car. The moment I stepped out, a harsh blast of cold air slapped my skin. I instantly regretted not bringing my jacket. Then, suddenly, warmth. A jacket draped over my shoulders. âItâs freezing,â Charles murmured softly as he walked ahead. My heart did a strange, unreasonable flip. Don Julio turned back with a mischievous smirkâone of those âI told you soâ looks only he could pull off, before heading inside with Charles. I pressed my lips together. My godfather definitely knew what he was doing. The movie room was packed, buzzing with chatter, heat, and the smell of popcorn. I hated crowded places, but being with Don Julio somehow made it tolerable. He took the seat at the end of the row. I moved to sit beside him, but someone slipped into the spot before I could. I shot the person a lethal glare. âBonita, itâs okay,â Julio said calmly. âSit beside Cha
Chapter 39 I was busy putting the final touches on my present for Richard when my phone buzzed sharply against the table. I glanced at the screenâChuka, my private investigator. My heartbeat hammered so hard it echoed in my ears. I picked up. âHello.â âHello, maâam⊠itâs done. I have her.â For a moment, everything around me stilled. Then my lips curled into a slow, victorious smile. Finally. I wasnât going to let Richard win anymore. Not this time. Not ever again. And I would make damn sure he never got anywhere near Vanessaâs mother. âThank you, Chuka. Take her to my home in Albany. Iâll arrange for a private nurse and doctor to take care of her. Iâll come see her tomorrow. Make sure sheâs safe⊠and comfortable.â âNo problem, maâam.â The call ended, but my fingers stayed wrapped tightly around my phone, knuckles turning white. My mind ran wild with all the ways I would deal with Richard, how Iâd make him and that stupid wife of his finally feel the pain they had caused m
Chapter 22: I have a Surprise for you â"Carmen," Charles snapped firmly, his tone cutting through the air like a blade. â"Uhmm, sorry for all the drama, Elizabeth," he muttered, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Kindly meet my daughter, Lesley, and... my ex-wife, Carmen." His voice dropped to a ne
Chapter 21: Am I interrupting somethingâI stepped down from the car, my heart thudding in a nervous rhythm with every step I took. The evening air was soft and perfumed with the scent of roses from the nearby garden. My palms felt slightly damp, though I tried to steady my breath.ââYou look stunn
Chapter 17: Soft as Velvet âDonât you dare hurt her!â Charlesâs scream was raw, a desperate sound in the tense air. Leoâs response was a bitter, mocking scoff. âSo youâre the fool who thinks he can take Elizabeth from me. Donât worry. Iâll just take her with me into the afterlife.â My mind becam
Chapter 16: The last Gambit"Before you kill me, let me at least have some water," I said. Leo shot me a strange glance, trying to decipher my words as he brought down the gun from my temple. "Water?" "Yes, water," I replied firmly. "I'm thirsty. Won't you at least give me water before I die?"